Trio
by poohba
Summary: Sixteen years before TNG, Walker Keel introduces a young med student named Beverly to his friend Jack. Too bad their mutual friend Jean-Luc has a thing for her too. NOW COMPLETE!
1. Beginnings

Trio

Part I:

Beginnings

2348 A.D. – 16 years before the beginning of Star Trek: The Next Generation 

The man's arm felt like it was dangling. He had a feeling that if it didn't hurt so much, he wouldn't be able to feel it at all. What a way to ruin a good weekend!

Commander Walker Keel was enjoying his planetside appointment more than he thought he would be. When he'd first found out he'd be spending the next year at Starfleet Headquarters in San Francisco, he'd wondered how he could possibly stand it. He'd spent the last fifteen years on starships. Planets were places to spend shore leave and then move on.

But here he was, back on Earth for the first significant amount of time since graduating the Academy… and enjoying himself. Acting as an aide for an admiral wasn't so bad… and then, there was the tantalizing bit of information that the Ambassador-class _U.S.S. Horatio_ was scheduled to be completed just about the time his orders expired. 

Keel didn't know _how_ he knew, exactly, but he _knew_ that the _Horatio_ was going to be his. And, so, a year on Earth could be put up with, so long as the dangling carrot of his own command was in front of him.

He and the other aides got along well, although they certainly weren't the best friends he'd ever had. They frequented the same nightspots after hours and played in a Parrises Squares league together…

Which was his problem today.

He should know better, at his age, to be playing such an active sport, but Walker Keel was not going to let that snot-nosed Lieutenant Commander Dixon, think that. 

Admiral Johnson's aide, Dixon, had insinuated that perhaps Keel, in his early forties, wasn't up to the challenge of Parrises Squares.

"I'll show you," Keel had thought. And then he'd wound up in the waiting area at Starfleet Medical with this dangling arm.

It was maddening.

"Commander Keel?" the receptionist was calling him. "Dr. Howard is ready to see you now."

Keel walked through the sliding doors into a small corridor. His arm throbbed with each step. A young woman wearing the same maroon jacket with Starfleet insignia that he was led him into a modest-sized exam room.

That was one difference between Starfleet Medical and the starship sickbays he was so used to… privacy.

The young woman was tall; high cheekbones, with a long red ponytail. On second glance, Keel noticed her insignia showed she was a sixth-year medical student, not a full doctor yet.

Keel was glad of that. He hated to think a creature this young was a full M.D.

"I'm going to examine you, now," she said, in that practiced way that only a med student would have.

"Wait a minute," Keel held up his good hand, "Don't I get a real doctor?"

The redhead's eyes got fiery at that. "I'm qualified for triage. Dr. Greenson supervises me. She'll be in to check on you later… Now, do you mind if I examine you?" 

Before he'd had a chance to think it over, the woman was gently probing his shoulder. He had no idea how she was touching the arm without causing shooting pain, but she seemed to have a golden touch. 

"Torn ligament," she finally said, almost under her breath.

"What was that?" Keel said.

"You've torn the ligament in your shoulder," the med student straightened up. "Let me go find Dr. Greenson and confer on treatment." 

She ducked out the door and in a few minutes was back with a middle-aged woman. Keel checked her collar. Yes, she was the real deal. But all the two of them did was nod and murmur to each other. Keel heard "muscular regeneration," but that was about all he understood of the conversation.

In a minute, the older woman was gone. She hadn't said one word to Keel. He was stuck with the med student.

"You done this before?" he grunted as she rummaged in a drawer and found a small device about the size of a hypospray.

"Hundreds of times," Howard said as she started up the small regenerator and waved it in front of his shoulder, "On the holodeck, anyway."

That revelation made Keel jump, but by that time, she'd put the device down, and his arm was feeling better anyway.

"Now that arm will be tender for a day or two," she told him, half-smiling. "I wouldn't advise you to play any more Parrises Squares for awhile."

"You sound like a true doctor already," he joked. "What's your name, anyway?"

The redhead crossed her arms. From her body language, Keel took it she got hit on by single patients on a regular basis. Well, why wouldn't she?

"My name's Beverly Howard," she said, arms still folded, waiting for whatever was coming next.

"Beverly," he said, "That was my mother's name."

She came this close to rolling her eyes, but Keel was enjoying this, so he continued, "You're not married are you?"

"No," she said, "I'm busy." She turned to leave the room.

"Now, wait," he said, "I'm married myself. No, the reason I ask, is a couple of old friends of mine are going to be around next week."

Beverly turned back around, a don't-kid-a-kidder look on her face. 

"I'm serious," Keel vouched. "My friends Jack and Jean-Luc of the _Stargazer_ are coming for shore leave. I just got the news this morning. They're both intelligent, devastatingly handsome and, the reason I mention them… available."

"I really don't think so," Beverly said, moving toward the door again.

Keel wasn't about to give up that easily. Jack Crusher and Jean-Luc Picard both needed a woman in their lives. He couldn't believe he was playing matchmaker, just like all the old married couples used to do to him when he was single, but they needed it, dammit.

"Tell you what," he said. "Do you ever go to _The Mizenmast_?" That was one of Starfleet Command's favorite watering holes. Everyone went there sometimes.

"On occasion," she said.

Keel nodded, "Well, I'll make sure Jack and Jean-Luc are there Tuesday night. You show up, I'll introduce you. No pressure."

Beverly's face was inscrutable. "I'll think about it," she said. "But I do work a lot of nights."

"That's all I ask," Keel said.

_The Mizenmast_ was packed Tuesday night. There were three ships in orbit, so their crews added to usual crowd. 

Beverly couldn't believe she had actually come. It's not like she'd dragged her girlfriends out against their will, by any means. In fact, Elizabeth, her roommate, had said, "Let's go out tonight, forget studying."

But it had been Beverly who had suggested coming here. She didn't know why. That Walker Keel had been persuasive. She wasn't desperate to meet this Jack Crusher or Jean-Luc Picard… she was a med student, she didn't have time for a social life… But she was curious.

She and Elizabeth found an empty highball booth up away in a corner. It seemed a safe enough spot to scout the crowd. And soon enough, she saw Walker Keel…

And he saw her.

He waved over the crowd and shouted something. She couldn't hear it over the noise. She couldn't tell who was with him and who was just part of the mob.

But soon, he was nearing the table. "Hello there," he said, "Mind if we sit down?"

Elizabeth scooted over, and there was room for the woman and man that were with him.

"I'd like you to meet my wife, Mindy," Keel said, indicating the petite, curly-haired blonde in civilian clothes sitting beside him. "And Lieutenant Jack Crusher of the _Stargazer_…"

Beverly looked across the table at the Lieutenant. He met her eyes immediately and smiled. He had a nice smile. 

Jack was 30ish…tall, broad-shouldered, with a strong jaw line… and intense eyes.

She could think of nothing intelligent to say. So, by means of introducing herself, she simply said, "Beverly Howard…" and stuck out her hand.

He took it and held it a moment longer than he had to. "Pleased to meet you, Beverly."

She loved the way he said her name, but feeling like she was sitting there with her tongue hanging out, she took back her hand and said, "I thought Walker said you were going to be joined by a friend."

"Oh…" Jack said, "Jean-Luc went home to France for the day. He should be back soon. He and his brother will get in a fight and he won't want to spend the night."

Keel put an arm around his wife and said apologetically, "Jack's right. Jean-Luc went home to see his mother, but Robert will make his life a living hell while he's there. I bet he's on his way already."

"Oh," was all Beverly could think to say. This was too much information to comprehend about someone she hadn't even met yet. "That's fine."

She looked back at Jack. He was smiling in her eyes again. "Would you care to dance?" he asked.

Beverly looked at Elizabeth. Her friend was nodding her head in Jack's direction and smiling. She turned back to the Lieutenant. "That'd be fun," she said.

He didn't bring her back to the table until last call, and by then, it was empty. "They must have all gone home," she said.

Jack offered her his arm, "Well, then, m'lady, may I offer my assistance as your escort back to your quarters?"

"You may, good sir." She took the arm and they set off on the short walk back to Starfleet Medical.

"Well, I'm glad Jean-Luc didn't show up," he said as they strolled in the night with the Golden Gate Bridge in the background. 

Beverly turned to him in surprise.

Jack grinned. "You might have decided you liked him more than you liked me and I knew the minute I saw you, I didn't want that to happen."

She smiled and relaxed again.

"Not after dancing like that," she said softly.

Jack turned to look down at her, "You're quite the dancer, yourself."

He could see her embarrassment. "Oh, I said the wrong thing."

She looked up, "No… it's just that… I did toy with the idea of drama school instead of Starfleet Academy. I wanted to be a musical actress. Of course, that got out my freshman year and everyone began calling me the 'dancing doctor.'"

Jack knew better than to laugh, so he switched subjects instead. "How did you decide on a career in medicine… and Starfleet then."

"My grandmother was a healer," she told him. "She raised me. I barely remember my parents. I knew I could do good work, like she does, by joining Starfleet." She switched sides, "Now, how about you…"

"Oh, I can't remember ever not wanting to be out among the stars," he looked up and smiled. He lowered his head and gazed at her moonlit face. Beverly's skin seemed almost porcelain in this light. He brushed back a lock of hair that had fallen from her ponytail.

Both of them leaned in, not even aware that they were doing it. Their eyes were liquid, running together. Their lips were touching… softly… and then parting. Tongues touched and then parted and then searched each other out again. Their whole bodies seemed to be melting into each other under the moonlight.

What should have been a ten-minute walk took them a little under an hour.

Jack woke up on the Keels' living room sofa. He squinted. Judging by the angle of the light coming in the windows, he had slept in and then some. He wasn't used to Earth-time yet, anyway… and then to stay out as late as he did with Beverly…

Nothing too unchaste had happened, but once they'd got to kissing, they hadn't seemed able to stop. He shook his head, trying to focus on the here and now. But it was difficult. It almost seemed like he and Beverly had known each other forever.

"Well, sleepy-head," called a familiar voice from the kitchen. "I thought I got in late last night, but I heard you come in an hour later." Captain Jean-Luc Picard came in to the room, holding two cups of steaming coffee. He had his uniform on, even though he wasn't on duty, and wasn't scheduled to be for days, but as a concession to comfort, he had left the flap on the neck of his maroon officer's coat open. But Jack knew some officers who did that when they were ON duty. He handed one mug to his first-officer.

"Thanks," Jack said.

"Well?" Jean-Luc said, sitting down in the chair across from the sofa.

Jack took a sip of his coffee. He felt more energetic already. "Well, what?"

"Don't keep me in suspense, Jack. Why were you so late? Don't tell me Walker actually managed to fix you up with someone."

Jack smiled broadly, "Wait 'til you meet her. You're going to love her."

Picard hadn't expected to take Jack's statement so literally. But later that evening, when Jack walked up to him at _The Mizenmast_ holding the hand of a tall redhead, his heart flipped.

She was beautiful.

"Beverly Howard, I'd like you to meet Jean-Luc Picard," Jack smiled. "You'll get to know him pretty well, I imagine, he'll be the best man at our wedding."

Jean-Luc panicked for a moment, had they really become engaged in so short a time? But then he saw Beverly elbow his friend, and their laughter and realized it had been one of Jack's many jokes.

Oh, and he was never very good at this sort of thing, anyway!

He held out his hand, "Pleased to meet you, Beverly." Her hand was long, with long fingers. It fit perfectly into his oversized paw; even though she seemed to be around the same height he was, perhaps even taller.

He immediately hoped she wouldn't notice his hair was thinning, his hairline receding. How stupid was he being at the moment, anyway?

She shook his hand, "I hope we're going to be good friends, Jean-Luc. Jack has told me so much about you already."

"Hardly anything bad," Jack grinned.

They both seemed so happy, in a way that Jean-Luc had never been. He felt alienated to his own best friend. There, across the room, was Walker with Mindy, chatting away. And here, Jack had finally found someone…

Someone perfect. 

Jean-Luc's heart throbbed. He had to leave… NOW. He raised a hand to his forehead to remove a bead of sweat he hoped no one had seen. "It's been delightful meeting you, Beverly," he nodded in her direction, "but I'm afraid there's some business on the ship I've been putting off and really must attend to. If you'll excuse me."

As he stepped outside the crowded bar, the cool wind from off the bay made him feel almost better. One wouldn't think, at his age, hormones would be such a problem… but he had just seen a beautiful woman… and acted like a fifteen year old.

A night on the ship might be just the thing for him to recover from this sudden attack of infatuation. Besides, he didn't want to wait up, wondering where Jack was and what he was doing.

"Picard to _Stargazer_, one to beam up."

Back inside _The Mizenmast_, Beverly and Jack hadn't noticed anything wrong. They were too busy dancing.


	2. Longings

Trio

Part II:

Longings

The _Stargazer_ had been gone from Earth for three months. Jean-Luc had become sick of hearing Jack talk about Beverly about two weeks into their tour-of-duty.

The two men met for breakfast every morning in Jean-Luc's commodious captain's quarters and Jack would start in about the latest communiqué from his beloved. "Heard from Beverly last night," he'd say. "Her term ends next month and we're still thinking about squeezing in a vacation together. I think camping on Richona IV sounds nice, but she would rather do the new spa on Risa. What do you think?"

And Jean-Luc's insides would twist.

And he didn't know why. 

Sure, Beverly was a beautiful, intelligent, accomplished young woman, but there certainly wasn't a shortage of them in the galaxy. And this particular beautiful, intelligent, accomplished young woman was obviously crazy about his best friend.

Jean-Luc felt like a traitor. What was wrong with him? He'd presumed his infatuation with Beverly would quickly run its course and he'd be able to be happy for her and Jack. But it hadn't yet.

If Jack noticed anything, he didn't let on. Jean-Luc seriously doubted he had. His friend was too happy. There was a light in his eyes on the mornings they met after he'd talked to Beverly until 0300 the night before. 

And, then, this morning, he said, "Hey, why don't you take leave with us and come on our camping trip."

That rattled the captain, "What? Oh, no, I wouldn't want to intrude."

"No intrusion," Jack said. "In fact, why don't you bring a date too? But if you can't think of anyone, that's all right. I'm sure Beverly wants to get know you too. You barely met her on Earth."

"I don't think so," Jean-Luc said.

Jack shook his head. "You are married to this starship aren't you? Look, Walker's right. We need to find you a good woman. Get a relationship with a human being."

Jean-Luc pulled down on the front of his jacket as he sat up in his seat, "I'm not starving for companionship, Jack. Please, take Beverly to Richona IV. You don't want me underfoot."

Jack shook his head again, and took one last sip of his coffee as he rose from the table, "We'll talk about this later. Right now, I better get to the bridge. My duty shift starts in five minutes." And then, he was out the door.

Jean-Luc sat in silence for awhile after he was gone. There was no way he was going to go off on a romantic vacation with Jack and Beverly and watch while they fell even more in love. He didn't understand why Jack would even want him to. 

He got up and walked over to the replicator. "Tea, Earl Gray, hot," he said and the computer whirled before presenting him with a steaming cup of tea. As he sat back down and inhaled the aroma, he felt he could think more clearly. Maybe from now on, he'd leave the coffee to Jack and drink this in the mornings.

The next time he saw Jack, he found out what was up with the camping trip.

"I'm going to want someone there to buy the champagne if all goes well," Jack laughed. "Or to commiserate with me if it doesn't." He then pulled a book out.

Jean-Luc couldn't believe the title. "How to Advance Your Career Through Marriage," he read.

"You don't really believe that," he looked aghast at Jack.

"Jean-Luc, it's a joke. I'm going to give it to her and see what she says... I'm hoping it's 'yes.'"

The captain sat down. His legs probably would have given out if he'd tried to stand any longer. "Jack, you're that serious about this woman?"

Jack grinned the famous Crusher grin and knelt down to Jean-Luc's eye level. "Jean-Luc, Beverly is amazing. She's not like any woman I've ever met before, or expect to meet again. I want to see her face when I wake up every morning. I want her to be the mother of my children. I want to grow old with her... You don't understand all this crazy-talk, do you."

Somewhere, in the depths of Jean-Luc's soul, he was crying, but he managed to shut himself off from it. It looked like he was going to have to do that from now on. "No," he said softly, "I do understand, and I'm happy for you, Jack." 

He realized he meant every word.

And how was that possible? But it was. Jack was the brother to him that Robert never had been. He loved Beverly too, but when he distanced himself from the churning inside, he could see where his duty lay.

The wedding was held on a brilliant spring day in San Francisco, on the tranquil grounds of Starfleet Academy. Jean-Luc Picard, indeed, stood up with Jack as best man. A recently promoted Captain Walker Keel of the _U.S.S. Horatio_ performed the ceremony. (He said it was his right, since, after all, the marriage certainly would have never taken place if it weren't for him.)

The bride wore a beautiful flowing lace gown. 

When she and Jack kissed, Jean-Luc's chin jutted out and he sucked up a deep breath as his heart swelled from both joy and sorrow. 

No one noticed. Everyone else's eyes were on the happy couple.

But he did hope there weren't any Betazoids in the congregation.

They settled down into a routine after that. Beverly was still busy on Earth with her medical course, but she caught transports whenever she could to meet the _Stargazer_. Jean-Luc found he could stand to watch her and Jack be happy.

On the weeks she was on board, she would join Jack and Jean-Luc for breakfast. She treated him every bit the brother-in-law she thought of him as.

He would stare at her sometimes from across the table... he found he couldn't help himself. And once, she caught his gaze. Her blue eyes were clear of any secrets. He was ashamed that his own eyes were not and quickly looked away.

The longer it went on like that, the easier it got. But Jean-Luc dreaded her graduation from Starfleet Medical. She was sure to request an assignment to the _Stargazer_... And although Starfleet wouldn't let children or civilians on board starships, it did like to assign childless married couples to the same ship. It made everything easier.

But it would be within Jean-Luc's authority to veto the assignment... and he didn't even want to think about having that power right now.

As it turned out, he didn't have to worry. A few months after the wedding, during Starfleet Medical's annual break, Beverly didn't make it to breakfast.

"She's feeling a little under the weather," Jack anxiously explained.

"There's that old proverb about the doctor's wife being the one to die young," Jean-Luc mused. "Perhaps you should remind her, future physician or not, she needs to take care of her own health."

Jack nodded, "Oh, I do… but you try and tell her to rest when she's busy helping save lives."

The next morning, Beverly was still not at breakfast. "Is she still ill?" Jean-Luc said, growing concerned when she didn't appear in his quarters with Jack.

"She hasn't been able to keep anything down for two days," Jack admitted. Although he tried to sound brave, he was obviously frightened.

Jean-Luc rose from his chair immediately. "She needs to get to sickbay. I'm going to inform Dr. Brandt immediately."

Jack shook his head slowly, "She won't like that. She says she's fine."

"Picard to Dr. Brandt," Jean-Luc called out to the computer. While waiting for the ship's chief medical officer to reply, he said to Jack, "If she can't eat, then something's obviously wrong."

About half an hour later, Jack and Jean-Luc sat in Dr. Brandt's office wearing identical worried expressions as the doctor came in and sat behind his desk. He wore a bemused expression as he said, "Well sir, Beverly was right. I couldn't find a thing wrong with her."

Jean-Luc's worry lines grew even deeper. "Doctor, how can everything be normal if she can't keep any food down?"

"Well, now hold on, sir," Brandt said in his folksy manner. "I didn't say everything was normal. I just said nothing was wrong."

"Now what's that supposed to mean?" Jack said, growing impatient. "Either she's sick or she's not."

Brandt's amused look turned to a full-out grin. "Congratulations, Lieutenant."

What he meant struck Jean-Luc a second before it hit Jack. He realized he was not longer jealous of just Jack. He was also in envy of Beverly, for the experience they were about to go through together.

Wesley Crusher was born eight months later.


	3. Shore Leave

Trio

Part III:

Shore Leave

2354 A.D. – Five years later 

"Dad, Dad!" five-year-old Wesley came running down the hallway of the Crusher family quarters on the Delos IV starbase. His brown eyes were wide and his jaw dropped open with excitement.

Beverly was smiling brightly too, and she beat her son to the door. "Jack," she said before she was caught up in an embrace.

Jack didn't get home on leave very often, and now that Beverly was serving her residency under Dr. Dalen Quaice while raising their son, she couldn't just visit the _Stargazer_ the way she used to. She sometimes thought the two of them would wear out the communications net with their long-distance communiqués.

But here he was, in the flesh, in front of her. She pulled back and looked him over, with a doctor's as well as a wife's eye. Was he getting enough sleep, eating right, managing his stress? She still couldn't get used to seeing him in one of the new-style Starfleet uniforms, even though she wore her own every day. They were more colorful and comfortable than the old heavy maroon jackets, certainly, but some said they also looked like pajamas.

She lifted a hand to trace his cheekbone and jaw line.

His eyes twinkled. He knew exactly what was running through her mind. He also knew she wouldn't say any of it out loud. Beverly Crusher knew better to nag, but she couldn't shake _thinking_ it. It still amused him, after all these years.

"Dad!" Wesley insisted. He threw himself at Jack's leg as his parents laughed and parted.

"Well, Sport, all right with you if I hang out here for awhile?" Jack picked up his son with no effort. Wesley was a somewhat-tall child, but he was skinny and weighed next-to-nothing.

Wesley's eyes beamed, "Sure, Dad!"

"Maybe," Jack said, "We can work on your swing some more in the Holodeck baseball program. Why don't you go get your bat?" He set Wes down again and slapped his bottom playfully as he ran off to his room.

"How long can you stay?" Beverly said quietly when their son had left the room.

Jack grew serious. "The computer upgrade should only take about a week. We're due at Vendetti III next Friday."

Beverly's face fell, but she didn't say anything. She had hoped that since this was the first time Jack had been home in six months, his stay would be longer… but she knew the Starfleet life. She'd deal with it.

"You want to come to the Holodeck with Sport and me?" Jack brightened up as Wesley came back in the room with his baseball bat.

"No thanks," Beverly said. She'd never been able to understand her husband and son's fascination with an ancient game that no one played anymore off of Holodecks. "But, you'll never believe this, there's this young ensign assigned temporarily to starbase who might want to join you. I met him the other day and couldn't believe there was someone else out there as crazy about baseball as you two." She ruffled Wesley's hair.

Jack's eyebrows rose. "What's his name? I'll have to look him up while I'm here."

Beverly racked her brain, "What was it? Ben-something. Siskel? Sisco? That sounds right."

"Well, we'll have to do some pick-up in the Holodeck if he's free… But right now," He turned to Wesley, "We have some practice to do."

Wesley's face broke out into an almost comical grin.

"Well, come on then," Jack and Wes were out the door.

Beverly stuck her head out the door, "Jack?"

Her husband turned around.

"Do you think we should invite Jean-Luc to dinner?"

Jack shrugged. "Sounds good. I don't think the starbase commander asked him."

"I don't think she will," Beverly said. "Captain Kuwadid is a Tunorian. She only eats once a year."

"Oh, well, yeah then. We can't have Jean-Luc eating alone while he's at starbase."

"Dad," Wesley tugged, "Come on…"

Jack shrugged again at Beverly, "We'll be back soon."

Beverly watched her family disappear around the bend in the corridor, heart so full she thought it would burst. Moments like these made the six-month stretches in between seeing Jack worth it.

Jean-Luc wiped the corner of his mouth with his napkin, "That meal was excellent."

"Thank the replicator," Jack said, standing, to pick up plates. "No one around here can cook."

"No one around here has _time_ to cook," Beverly corrected him with a half-smile. "But it is one of my grandmother's recipes."

Wesley sat next to Jean-Luc at the small round table. He studied him now with the concentration that only a five-year-old could possess. Jean-Luc noticed, but tried to ignore it. He never had been comfortable around children. He didn't know how to tease them or make small talk the way some people could.

But this child… Every time he looked at Wesley Crusher, he saw a son that could have been his. And then he had guilt for even thinking such a thing about his best friend's family. It was just best to avoid him, which he couldn't do tonight, obviously.

"You don't have as much hair as you used to," Wesley finally pronounced after his careful study of the subject.

All three adults turned a bright red. "Wesley!" Beverly warned.

"What, Mom? He doesn't"

"Wesley, why don't you go get ready for bed."

"Do I have to?" Wes whined.

Beverly looked sternly at him.

"All right, all right…" Wesley got up and slowly trudged to his room.

"Sorry, 'bout that," Jack said. "He doesn't miss anything."

Jean-Luc patted his hairline. "Well, at least there's still something up there," he said. "I know I could do something about it, but the hair treatments never seem to look quite right."

"That's all right, Jean-Luc," Beverly said. "I know a lot of women who find bald men extremely attractive."

Now, why did she have to say something like that? Here the three of them were, sitting around, enjoying each other's company like family, and she had to go say something that made his heart skip a beat.

He made a quick recovery by changing the subject, but the tenor of the evening had changed for him. He made excuses to return to the ship shortly afterwards.

The week passed quickly by. It seemed like there weren't enough hours in the day. Beverly was still busy at the medical center most days, even though Dr. Quaice had been kind enough to give her more time off than usual this week, and Jack still had to check in with the _Stargazer_ every day. Even Wesley had school. Ordinarily, he wouldn't have started the first grade yet, at his age, but since he had taught himself to read at the age of three, the Crushers had decided perhaps he was ready now.

The night before leave was over, Jack tucked Wesley into bed and stayed with him until the boy's breathing quieted. He laid a hand on his son's shoulder and felt the rhythm of his sleep.

It was something he'd done many times before, but this time it seemed different. He was certainly in an odd mood.

Jack left Wesley's bedroom and went in to the room he and Beverly shared.

"Wesley asleep?" she asked softly from her side of the bed, where she was reading a medical journal.

Jack nodded and sat on the edge of the bed to pull off his boots. It always felt so good to be home, here, with his family. But he loved his job too. He'd never felt such dread about leaving before. 

He leaned over his wife. "I love you," he said.

She smiled, turned off the reading padd, and laid it down on the bedside table. "I know. I love you too."

"Never forget it," he grinned into her eyes.

"You never would let me anyway," she said, raising her hand to the back of his neck to bring him down on top of her. Soon they were in a place that drove all of Jack's uncertainties away. 

Sometime in the evening it had started to pour, and they could hear the drip drops on the roof over their heads. Beverly didn't think she ever wanted this perfect little moment in time to end. 

After their lovemaking, neither of them could sleep. They lay in the dark, wrapped around each other, listening to each other's breathing. If they were quiet and listened carefully, they could even hear the contented sighing of Wesley in the room next door.

Finally, Jack wrapped a lock of Beverly's long red hair around his finger and spoke, "I've been meaning to record another holographic message for Wes… It just gets so busy aboard ship, I haven't had time."

Beverly smiled lazily up at him. "He's going to appreciate those so much when he gets older."

"… And I'm old and gray… or as bald as poor Jean-Luc…" Jack chuckled, and Beverly laughed too, and snuggled a little closer. "Anyway, I promise you, after this mission to Vendetti III, I'm going to do it. You bug me, if I don't, hear?"

"Promise," she agreed.

"Well, now that that's settled," he said, stroking her bare arm, "We can get back to business."

She laughed again, as he rolled on top of her.

Neither one of them could ever forget the look in each other's eyes as they came together, over and over again during the rest of the night. There was an urgency there, as if this was the most important thing in the world to be done.

For them, it was.

The next morning, Jack kissed his wife and son goodbye, picked up his Starfleet issue duffle bag, and set off to the base's transporter room.

Beverly shivered as she watched him walk around the corner. She shook it off, and a moment later he was back to give her one last, wordless, kiss, before he disappeared around the corner for good.


	4. Endings

Trio

Part IV:

Endings

The _Stargazer _orbited the sea green colored planet of Vendetti III. "Open hailing frequencies," Jean-Luc said.

"Hailing frequencies open, sir," his second-officer, Lieutenant Lucinda Mahajerin reported.

A Vulcan answered the hail. "Greetings," he said, "I am Sa'Kel, Federation ambassador to Vendetti III."

"Greetings, Ambassador," Jean-Luc said, "We are delivering Jacinda Moreth, the newly appointed Ambassador, and have orders to take you to your next posting."

The Vulcan didn't even raise an eyebrow. "Very well Captain, I have been expecting you. Please beam down when ready for the transfer ceremony. We will require you and three of your officers as witnesses."

"Thank you, Ambassador, we will be there, shortly." Conversation ended, the viewscreen went back to its picture of the turning planet below.

That done, Jean-Luc hailed Ambassador Moreth to have her meet the away team in Transporter Room 1.

"Shall we?" he said, turning towards his first officer.

Jack smiled, "Sounds good, Captain… Dr. Brandt," he summoned, "Walbeck, O'Reilly, Cisneros… you're with us."

"Lieutenant Mahajerin, you have the bridge," Jean-Luc indicated.

"Aye, sir," she said, moving from her bridge station to the Captain's chair.

"I've been in contact with Sa'Kel for several weeks, now," Moreth said excitedly in the transporter room. 

It was her first ambassadorial posting. "You know, I've visited Vendetti many times over the years, but I've never actually lived there. He has been so helpful in understanding the nuances of life here… Well, I'm sure I still have a lot to learn, but I almost wish he could stay on and continue tutoring me… Well, of course, I really don't want that. I know I can do it. I was so excited when the Federation president nominated me for this post… Me… Can you believe it? And then, when the Council approved the nomination… Well, that was just…"

Jean-Luc finally interrupted her, to the smiles of several of his officers. "I understand the Vendetti people are quite talkative."

"Oh, yes," Moreth said. "Sa'Kel said that was one of his problems here. He just never could understand these people, which strained relations, somewhat. But, the Vendetti truly are a people after my own heart… ask my ex-husband." She laughed. No one else did.

"Well, Captain, I'm eager to get going."

"Of course, Ambassador," Jean-Luc said, gesturing her up to the transporter pad, where all of the away team had already assembled. "I'm eager too."

And, since, the Federation's relations with the Vendetti people were somewhat strained, he ordered the team to set their phasers to stun before giving the order to beam down. 

Protocol prevented them from beaming directly into the Federation Embassy. They had to walk three blocks through the crowded street to get to it. No one seemed to pay any attention to their colorful Starfleet uniforms. The natives simply walked around, doing their business, coming in and out of shops and conversing with each other.

It was a pleasant atmosphere… And although the sky was a brilliant green, instead of blue, it reminded Jack of the town he'd grown up in.

They continued on, through the crowded streets until they'd almost reached the Embassy gates, where Ambassador Moreth would formally request a meeting with Ambassador Sa'Kel to start the ceremony.

Then, a cry went up from somewhere in the busy street. "The Federation is not wanted here! Go back from the hellhole you came from!"

Jack swiveled towards the sound.

Jean-Luc turned, just in time to see an energy weapon discharge and hit Jack. He saw his best friend fall, and there was nothing he could do. He tried to run over and knock Jack out of the way of the beam; it seemed like everything slowed down so much that he could, but it was too late.

"Protect the Ambassador," he yelled to his away team and they huddled together, phasers drawn, around a frightened Moreth.

There were screams of horror from the crowd. Some ran for cover. But then as the crowd parted Jean-Luc noticed two Vendetti males had wrestled a third to the ground. "We have the shooter," they called.

That was all Dr. Brandt needed to hear before he ran over to Jack.

Jean-Luc arrived a second later, after telling Walbeck, O'Reilly and Cisneros to see Moreth safely inside the Embassy. Jack was still conscious, but confused. His mouth and eyes were open wide in shock. "Jean-Luc?" he whispered.

Jean-Luc grabbed his hand, as Dr. Brandt frantically worked. "Yes, old friend, I'm here."

Jack squeezed back as hard as he could, which Jean-Luc was dismayed to find, wasn't hard at all. "Take… Take care of… them." His eyes lost their focus, struggled for a moment, and then closed.

"Brandt to _Stargazer_," the doctor shouted, "Emergency beam out to sickbay!"

In an instant the three of them were on board, with nurses swarming everywhere. "We're losing him!" Brandt muttered, and then called out a number of things Jean-Luc didn't understand, but that the nurses seemed to.

He felt horribly in the way, but seemed unable to move. 

Jack had to hang on, dammit. He had everything in the galaxy to live for. 

There he was, laid out naked on the table, with Brandt and all the nurses working frantically on him, but Jean-Luc had a hard time believing that it really was Jack Crusher. 

It must be some sort of mistake, or one of Jack's terrible practical jokes. Any instant, he would open his eyes and grin and say, "Had you going there, didn't I, Jean-Luc?"

But it didn't happen. The sickbay monitors continued to show his vital signs dropping, until they came to the bottom of the chart and stopped moving. Brandt tried something else, but the monitors didn't change.

The nurses looked at him expectantly as he hung his head and leaned into the table. Then the doctor looked up, across the room, into Jean-Luc's tear-filled eyes and shook his head.

"Time of death: 1432," Jean-Luc heard him say, as if through a tunnel.

He didn't remember the walk back to his quarters. His mind was numb. He didn't even notice that his own temple was bleeding. He knew one thing he had to do. "Computer, open hailing frequencies and contact Captain Kuwadid on Delos IV." 

Someone had to let Beverly know, and he couldn't bring himself to do it, not via subspace. Let her commanding officer handle it.

Once he'd passed his sad message on, he sat down at his desk and stared out the windows into space until the healing tears came and he laid down his head and sobbed.

"Captain, my sincerest apologies on the loss of your first officer," Sa'Kel said when he stepped in the Ready Room. "I understand he was a fine officer and will be missed."

A Vulcan would never show more emotion than that, of course, but Jean-Luc could feel his sympathy. He knew the Ambassador was horrified that the incident had happened.

"The assassin has been captured by the authorities." Sa'Kel continued, "Officials believe he was working alone. A Romulan disruptor was found on him, but it was an old-style one that can be found on the black market."

"So, we have no way of pinning this to the Romulans," Jean-Luc folded his arms and nodded briskly. Somehow, he had been okay with the idea of going to war over Jack's death, but he couldn't say he was disappointed that it was not to be so. 

"Even if I were capable of it, I do not believe I would envy you," Sa'Kel said to an unusually somber Moreth. "You have a big job to do, restoring the trust between the natives of this planet and the Federation."

"I know," she said, "I hope I have it in me."

Jean-Luc looked at her, "I think you do, Ambassador."

She stood up taller, nodded to each of the gentlemen, and said, "Well, then, I best get started." She left to transport back down to the surface.

Jean-Luc turned to Sa'Kel, "I'm afraid we have to delay your delivery to Barzan."

"I understand, Captain. You must take Jack Crusher back to his family."

The two men walked out of the Ready Room. Sa'Kel made his way to the turbolift to go back to his quarters. Jean-Luc thought that was a good idea. He trusted his crew to get them back in one piece. In his current state of mind, he wasn't sure he would be able to.

"Number One," he said to Mahajerin, "Set a course to Delos IV." 

He didn't say her name. He suddenly was thinking very hard about all the old military rules he'd always scoffed at before. He could see the wisdom, now, in captains not becoming too close to their officers.

Wesley was standing at the entrance to the medical facility when they beamed down with Jack's body in a shroud.

Shouldn't someone be watching him? Jean-Luc wondered, but no one appeared to be. The small boy just stood there, hands balled up into fists at his sides, challenging their path into the hospital.

"Wesley, you shouldn't be here" Jean-Luc heard a woman's voice call out. For a split-second, he thought it was her… but then a petite brunette nurse came and grabbed Wesley. "Come on, we'll take you back to your mother," she said.

"I don't want to go back to my mother!" the boy said, hot tears running down his face, "I want my Dad! 

"You took him away," he yelled to Jean-Luc, "Bring him back! Bring him back!" Then he burst into sobs. Jean-Luc could see his scrunched up face all the way down the hall as the nurse carried him off. Jean-Luc felt like crying with him, but he knew he couldn't. He pushed it down deep inside him.

When he was a small child, and visited with his Aunt Adele, she used to tell him stories. Jean-Luc remembered one of those, distinctly, now.

It was an old Bible story about King David and Bathsheba. David wanted Bathsheba, the wife of a soldier in his army. So, he arranged to have the man killed in battle… and married his wife soon after.

Jean-Luc would have never done that. He would give anything to have Jack alive, here with his family.

But, what if… deep down in the blackest part of his soul… it was too terrible a thought to even mention…

Beverly must never know his true feelings for her, he decided. To let her know, even now… perhaps, most especially now, would be a betrayal of the worst kind to Jack.

He escorted her to the morgue to see Jack's body. "It was good of you to come," she said quietly as they were walking.

"It's the least I can do," he told her, not knowing what else to say.

She was dressed in black and had seemed to have aged ten years since the last time he'd seen her. There was no evidence of tears on her. He didn't think there would be. She would save that for times she was alone, just as he did. 

But when he lifted the shroud, and she saw the still face of her husband, her head fell into her hands and her shoulders began softly shaking. Without thinking, he put his arms around her and pulled her close. Her tears wet the front of his uniform.

He had made his vow - and intended to keep it - but right now, they were simply two people mourning a man they had both loved.

It was ten years before he saw her again. 

And then, her application for the position of chief medical officer of his new command came to his attention.

All the old emotions came pouring back over him: the love, the guilt, the inability to save Jack. He wanted to bury the application, choose someone else.

But looking over the other resumes, there was no one half as qualified for the job as Beverly Crusher. 

He held the padd in his hand, as if that was some link to her. 

She must have known who was to be in command of the _Enterprise_ when she applied for the position. He knew she still kept in touch with Walker, because he was the one who'd been giving him updates on her and the boy all these years. 

It must have been difficult for her too, filling out this application. But she had wanted the job badly enough…

Once again, duty won out over emotions. He notified Starfleet of his choice for CMO.

He was never sorry he had. 

And, at times, it seemed like Jack was there with them, part of their little trio. And during some of those moments, it seemed like he was even giving them his blessing to be together.


End file.
